Tomar region of Knights Templar in Portugal

This is a tour to the central region of Portugal, where the Knights Templar played an important role in particular in the expansion of the settlement and in the historical and cultural legacy of Portugal.

We are talking inevitably about the city of Tomar, where stands out the Convent of Christ built by the order of the Templars in the 12th century.

On the way before reaching the city of Tomar, we have visited the fantastic and always stunning Castle of Almourol.

Map of the visited places

Departing from Lisbon we travel to the Castle of Almourol for about 130 kilometers.

It so no doubt a very beautiful medieval castle located on a small granite cliff island on the Tagus river.

The Castle of Almourol played an important role in the defense system of the city of Tomar. There are several myths and legends that made the castle more romantic. Its acess is via a small boat lasting approximately four minutes.

On the banks of the Tagus river nearby the Castle of Almourol Castle of Almourol

Pier of the Castle of Almourol

Already on the island on the way to the Castle of Almourol View of the terrain around the castle with the Keep at bottom

Fig of India The giant cactus

The Castle of Almourol is surrounded by high walls with circular towers.

Circular towers as seen from the exterior Main entrance to the castle

The strong structures foundation in the Castle of Almourol Panoramic view to the Tagus River on the lower site

Entrance door to the upper site of the castle wall The landscape on the way to the Keep

In the Keep of the Castle of Almourol Panoramic view of the Keep

View of the enclosure to upper castle wall View to the east side

Saying goodbye to the visit of the Castle of Almourol

Then we went to the city of Tomar about thirty kilometers from the Castle of Almourol.

However before strating to explore and visit some interesting historical places in the city of Tomar we chose to have lunch at the restaurant Sabores ao Rubro. The chosen dishes were fried cuttlefish, the vegetarian dish mushrooms a bras and roast kid in the oven. It was a delicious!

Fried cuttlefish Mushroom a bras (vegetarian dish)

Roast kid in the oven A good meal!

After lunch we have started our tour by visiting the Convent of Christ one of the emblematic monuments of the city of Tomar.

The Convent of Christ is surrounded by the walls of the Castle of Tomar. It initially belonged to the Order of the Templars, a medieval Christian military religious order during the 12th and 17th centuries and it was founded in the year 1160 by D. Gualdim Pais one of the great masters of the Templars.

However with the extinction of the Order of the Templars in the year 1312, D. Dinis king of Portugal named the new Order of Christ keeping the former heritage of the Templars and so giving continuity to its expansion that lasted five centuries.

The Convent of Christ is a combined testimony in architecture styles of medieval, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque.

To highlight the Charola (Rotunda), the oratory place of the Templars being modeled on the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

The images that follow show the main parts of all the architectural complexity of the Convent of Christ that had several stages of amplification and modification in different periods. It is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Walls of Tomar Castle as part of the Convent of Christ

Entrance to the Convent of Christ

General view of the entrance to the Convent of Christ with the Charola (Rotunda) in the bottom

View of the South facade of the Convent of Christ

The Manueline and Renaissance Portal

Cemetery cloister in the interior of the Convent of Christ

The Rotunda

Biblical paintings

View of the vault of the church

The Main cloister

Manueline window

Cloister of the Inn

The Refectory

Cistern House with the vault at top

Cloister of Crows

Cloister of Micha

After visiting the Convent of Christ we went down to the Historical Center of the city of Tomar.

We have visited the synagogue that was built in the 15th century and closed in 1496 when the Jews were expelled from Portugal and their forced conversion to Christianity.

Later in the year 1921 it was restored to the Luso-Hebrew Museum of Abraão Zacuto in 1939.

The synagogue is a reference to the presence of the Jews and their contribution to the economy of Tomar during the 14th and 16th centuries.

The four columns in the Synagogue of Tomar

Elements of the Jewish faith ritual. At top the shofar

Very close to the Synagogue walking towards to Nabão river there is a beautiful garden, the Park of Mouchão. In this park there is a hydraulic wheel called the Wheel of Mouchão built in 1906 that was used to supply water to the mills and irrigate agriculture land. It is a beautiful piece of engineering.

A view of Nabão river along the city of Tomar

The Wheel of Mouchão Park in Nabão river

The beauty Park of Mouchão

View of Nabão river in the Park of Mouchão

We also want to taste the typical pastry of the city of Tomar. Very central nearby Park of Mouchão Avenue of Tomar it is Estrelas de Tomar pastry where we tasted some regional cakes. It was worthy this stop to taste these sweets!

A moment with the typical sweets of Tomar

Then we walk to the Santa Maria do Olival Church on the other side of the river to the east of the city.

We pass by the Levada Cultural Complex, set of buildings dating back to economic activity from the medieval to the contemporary era and together with the Nabão river give a scenic beauty to the city of Tomar.

Levada Cultural Complex

The Nabão river

One of the Nabão river small dam. Behind the Flecheiro bridge

And so we have arrived at the Church of Santa Maria do Olival, built in 12th century by Gualdim Pais

It is an imposing church in Gothic style and served as the Pantheon of the Templars masters. It is considered a national monument.

Tower of Sineira (bells)

Main facade of Santa Maria do Olival Church

One of the lateral facade of Santa Maria do Olival Church

The entrance in Gothic style

General view of Santa Maria do Olival Church

Before we left the city of the Tomar we couldn’t miss a picture of the beautiful Portuguese sidewalks on this city with the symbol of the cross of the Order of Christ with the promise of one day to come back.

Portuguese sidewalk in Tomar with the symbol of the Order of Christ

We hope that our readers and travel lovers will one day also be able to visit the wonderful city of Tomar and its surroundings where the reality and myth of the Knights Templar had its epicentre in Portugal.

References Câmara Municipal de Tomar; UNESCO

Thanks to Manuel Manero for blogging recommendations

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